Congress decisions bring Gibraltar on board

The XXXVII Ordinary UEFA Congress in London granted full UEFA membership to the Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) and made an important resolution about combating racism in European football.

The GFA was granted full membership of UEFA with immediate effect, and thus becomes UEFA's 54th member association, while UEFA's member associations unanimously approved a resolution to fight racism. The 11-point resolution calls on all UEFA member associations to take strict measures to stamp racism out of football.

As there were only eight candidates for the eight available seats on the UEFA Executive Committee, the election took place by acclamation. Giancarlo Abete (ITA), Allan Hansen (DEN), František Laurinec (SVK), Marios N Lefkaritis (CYP), Avraham Luzon (ISR) and Michael van Praag (NED) were re-elected, while David Gill (ENG) and Wolfgang Niersbach (GER) were newly elected for a four-year term.

Similarly, and as there were only four candidates for the four European seats on the FIFA Executive Committee, Dr Michel D'Hooghe (BEL), Şenes Erzik (TUR), Marios N Lefkaritis (CYP) and Vitaly Mutko (RUS) were re-elected by acclamation for a four-year term.

The UEFA Executive Committee also held its constituency meeting immediately after the UEFA Congress concluded and the five UEFA vice-presidents for 2013–15 were named: Şenes Erzik (TUR), Ángel María Villar Llona (ESP), Marios N Lefkaritis (CYP), Giancarlo Abete (ITA) and Grigoriy Surkis (UKR).

The UEFA Executive Committee appointed Fernando Gomes (POR) as special adviser in charge of relations with all confederations, and as a member of the UEFA EURO 2016 steering group. Fernando Gomes will thus be invited to attend meetings of the UEFA Executive Committee in an advisory capacity, and shall remain vice-chairman of the National Associations Committee.

The UEFA Congress also approved:
• The report of the UEFA President and the UEFA Executive Committee for 2011/12
• The report of the UEFA Administration for 2011/12
• The annual consolidated statement of accounts for 2011/12
• UEFA's associations accounts for 2011/12
• The budget for the 2013/14 financial year

The XXXVIII Ordinary UEFA Congress will take place in Astana, Kazakhstan, on 27 March 2014.